Leonard Petrocelli, 65, of Bristol, formerly of Waldoboro and Oakfield, passed away Oct. 12 at Maine Medical Center in Portland after a year-long battle with cancer. His loving wife Liz Petrocelli was at his side. He was born Jan. 20, 1943 in Brooklyn, N.Y., the youngest of Michael and Victoria Grasso Petrocelli’s seven sons.
He fulfilled his lifelong dream to be a long-distance truck driver after three years in the U.S. Army. He and Liz met and married in 1989 in Rhode Island, then soon after moved to Maine to fulfill both their dreams of farming and raising cattle, pigs, and chickens. Lenny and Liz started with 100 acres in Oakfield in Aroostook County, then moved to Waldoboro in 2001. They retired to Bristol in 2006, where Lenny quickly adjusted to leisurely coastal living.
Lenny loved being around people and made friends wherever he went, including many new friends in the area. Pemaquid Beach and Point were favorite spots, where he and Liz spent happy hours both alone and with visiting family. He was also an animal lover. He lavished his affection on numerous dogs and cats throughout his life, the last and most precious Lucky, his 18-year-old Cocker Spaniel who died earlier this year.
Lenny had a tremendous love of life and an outgoing, individualistic personality. Life took Lenny out of Brooklyn, but Brooklyn never left Lenny – he took great pride in being an Italian-American New Yorker, and he never lost his New York accent. He enjoyed great food (and teased Liz he married her for her cooking), classic action and western movies, watching the Food Network with his granddaughter, and was an avid reader – he was a fixture at Bristol Public Library.
He leaves three children from his first marriage, Kellie Rizio and husband Lenny, Erin Lindsey and husband Tom, and Leonard Jr. and wife Cheryl all of Florida, and Liz’s daughters, Celeste Torello and husband Neil Runyon of New York City, and Elise Torello of Wakefield, R.I.; and nine grandchildren, Mabel Runyon, Robert and Nicholas Petrocelli, Tyler, Caitlyn, and Lindsey Grissom, Victoria Lindsey, and TJ and Jordan Petrocelli.
Though his illness was long, his death came quickly and unexpectedly.
Friends are invited to be with the family 5-7 p.m., Fri., Oct. 17 at the Strong Funeral Home, 612 Main St., Damariscotta, with a service to commemorate his life at 7 p.m., Rev. Alfred Irving will officiate.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Damariscotta Salvation Army, Camden National Bank, c/o Laura Comer, P.O. Box 37, Damariscotta, ME 04543.
Arrangements are entrusted to the care of the Strong Funeral Home and Cremation Center, Damariscotta.
